The Atlantic Slave Trade Flashcards
The Triangular Trade
Goods such as guns, textiles and rum were taken from Europe and transported to Africa
Africans captured and boarded onto ships in Africa taken to America
Slaves forced to make goods such as sugar, cotton and tobacco in America taken to Europe
Each stage was profitable for merchants
Effects on British Ports
From 1663-1698 London was the only port allowed to trade slaves
50 ships left London each year to collect Africans
Bristol was trusted by African traders
Bristol was located on the west coast giving it an advantage over Liverpool
Liverpool had a deep dock making it quicker to load and unload ships
It was cheaper to crew a ship from Liverpool
176 ships took part in the trade from Liverpool
Effects on African Societies
Population halved
Land became uncultivated since people aged 15-25 were gone
Became poor
Land became dangerous due to tribal conflicts
Africa was behind in development
Many people died
Conditions of Slave Factories
Overcrowded
Forced to grow their own food
Disease spread quickly due to the lack of sanitation
Slaves were often tortured and killed
If slaves were deemed as unfit, they would be kept in factories and forced to work
Conditions of the Middle Passage
Slaves were chained below deck
They were forced to sing and dance
Given 1 bucket of food between 12 slaves
Poor sanitation, disease spread quickly
Many women were often sexually assaulted
Many slaves would throw themselves overboard
Importance of Tropical Crops Like Sugar
Plantations produced 80-90% of sugar consumed in Western Europe
In 1700, Britain’s sugar consumption went from 4lbs-18lbs
Influence Britain had in the Caribbean
Many Scottish slave owners would dress their slaves up in tartan
Lots of Scottish names are dominant in the sugar industry
Made changes to plantations such as:
- Increased production using irrigation systems built by French engineers
- Developed more advanced mills
- Used better types of sugar cane
Impact of the Slave Trade on British Economy & British Port Cities
Provided work for cloth, metal and gun manufacturers
Valuable produce re-exported to Europe for large profits
Government invested money into the country
Growth of ports
- Liverpool became one of the largest ports, led to an increase in population
Negative Impact the Trade had on Development of Caribbean Islands
Arawak natives were wiped out by disease and replaced by West Africans who worked on plantations
Slave punishments were made legal as was execution
Couldn’t play drums, gather after dark or carry a weapon
Natural landscapes were destroyed by growth of plantations
Lands like Jamaica have a sense of injustice that is still felt today
Loss of culture
Living and Working Conditions on Plantations
Kept in small shacks and huts
Tortured
Forced to work 12 hours with no break
Women were subjected to sexual abuse
Little privacy
Had to dig holes 15cm deep for plants
Slave Punishments on Plantations
Flogged
Whipped
Branded with a hot iron
Forced to desiccate in other slaves mouths
Put in malasis so mosquitoes would get to them
Tied down all day and night
Other Forms of Slave Labour on Caribbean Islands
Sailors
Maintain factories and equipment
Produce food
Tend to cattle and horses needed to transport products
Resistance on Plantations
Refusing to work
Working slowly
Stealing
Doing jobs badly
Sleeping in
Running away
Fear of Revolt
Slaves made to wear iron collar around neck if caught trying to escape
Haitai was taken over by runaway slaves
Maroons killed off British army
No weapons, couldn’t defend themselves
Slave owners knew that slaves were capable of killing them, they were outnumbered
Slaves had no sense of direction, could get lost
Origins of the Abolitionist Movement
Quakers decided members couldn’t be a part of the slave trade
- 1781
Quakers set up a group to abolish slavery
- 1783
William Dolben passed bill to regulate conditions on slave ships
- 1788
Zong massacre
- 132 Africans thrown overboard a slave ship to claim insurance money
- Court allowed compensation
- 1781
